


Somewhere in Neverland

by winterwaters



Category: A Song of Ice and Fire - George R. R. Martin, Game of Thrones (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Bakery AU, F/M, Just happy times, None whatsoever, Prompt Fic, Seriously no plot here, complete and utter fluff
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-05-09
Updated: 2014-06-17
Packaged: 2018-01-24 01:58:45
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 7,874
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1587464
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/winterwaters/pseuds/winterwaters
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>This is what has become known as "the bakery AU." Modern AU of Arya & Gendry at college, where Arya works part-time at a bakery and is on the fencing team and generally a happy young person.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Irenka](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Irenka/gifts), [theconstantprincess](https://archiveofourown.org/users/theconstantprincess/gifts).



> This is for the lovely dears who thought of this adorable idea! I volunteered to write it simply because it sounded so cute I couldn't resist! As I stressed before, there will be no drama here. Just fluffiness galore.
> 
> I hope it brings the feels back for you guys, even a little bit :)

Arya pulled into her usual parking spot behind the bakery, the old blue car giving its typical shudders as she shifted gears. Out of habit, she patted the gearshift soothingly. 

“There, there,” she grinned. “You live another day.” 

Grabbing her bag from the passenger seat, she hopped out of the car and stretched. Her oversized sweatshirt rose with her before falling back nearly to her knees. Arya locked the car and strode around to the side door of the bakery, letting herself in noisily in case Hot Pie was lingering nearby. More than once she’d opened the door directly on his face and sent a tray of pastries clattering to the floor. 

She did not want to make that a habit.

Today, though, the room was empty. Looking around, Arya caught sight of him out front with some customers, so she took her time making herself presentable. The scent of bread and sweet pastries filled her nostrils as she leaned down to set her bag on a lower shelf. Arya had discovered early on that she had quite a fondness for trying most of the food they put in the displays. And it helped that Hot Pie usually saved a couple extra ones just for that purpose.

She didn’t mind working at the bakery. Most evenings it was quiet aside from the usual smattering of customers, and she used the extra time to do homework or just relax. Between classes, fencing lessons, and her part-time job, she treasured any downtime she could find. She was forever grateful to her manager, Eva, for hiring and training her over the summer before freshman year even began. It was one less thing to worry about when school started.

Eva was quiet but focused, and they developed a quick rhthym to finish their tasks. Slowly, Arya was allowed to close up in the evenings, counting out the final register and leaving the report for Eva to look over the next day. She took her task seriously, knowing her manager didn’t hand out responsibility lightly. Arya was proud to have earned her trust.

Setting her bag in one of the lower shelves, she pulled her thick hair into its usual ponytail before pulling on a dark blue apron. In the beginning, she hadn’t thought it necessary, since she spent most of her time at the register and not in the back. But after bumping into Hot Pie on multiple occasions and finding herself brushing off flour from the most random areas later on, she’d decided the apron couldn’t hurt.

“Hey Arya!” Her friend bustled through the swinging door and into the kitchen. As always, his apron and clothes were already covered in flour.

“Hey. Busy day?”

“Not really. Just a family that was visiting. Otherwise just the usual customers.”

“Cool.” Arya finished tying her apron. “Yell if you need anything.” She grabbed a pen and her notebook from her bag and headed out front. Setting her things on the counter, she crouched down to turn up the volume on the small radio they kept on the lower shelf, turning it to her usual station.  
Then she settled onto the stool, gladly noting that everyone appeared too busy enjoying the weather outside to crowd into the small shop. 

For the next couple of hours, Arya’s head remained buried in her notebook as she drafted the outline for her upcoming research paper. Aside from a couple of customers, not many people had stopped by, and the bakery was quiet except for the music drifting from the radio and the occasional sound of Hot Pie in the kitchen. 

Her phone buzzed on the counter.

_Hey! Sorry to ask so late, but can you cover for Nat tomorrow at the Fall Fest booth?_

Arya grinned. Mae, the captain of her fencing team, was always organizing fundraisers and keeping them involved at school events. The club had to keep up awareness since they needed a certain number of members to be able to participate at most events. Mae was the sole champion of that cause. It was one of the reasons Arya had met so many people already. There was no social gathering too big or small for her team captain.

She texted her back. _Sure, I can stay for a couple of hours before class. What happened to Nat?_

The reply came swiftly. _She caught what Sonia had the other day. Thank you!! You’re a lifesaver! You think Kel can make it?_

Arya smirked. Kel dreaded early mornings. _I’ll drag her along._

The song on the radio changed, and Arya smiled as she heard the familiar opening chords of the next tune. Lately she’d found that this station had a good mix of old and new songs. Often, the older songs reminded her of Jon and the music he would play when she was younger and he hadn’t left for college yet. The one that was playing now was one of his favorites - and by extension, hers, too. A pang of sadness tugged at her briefly, and she wrapped her arms around herself. The large sweater she was wearing was one of his that he’d left behind, one of several that she’d taken for herself when she left for college a few years later. At his insistence, she’d also “taken” his car, since he kept saying he’d have no use for it in the city. 

A crash in the kitchen snapped her out of her thoughts. She jumped off the stool and pushed through the swinging door. Hot Pie looked up at her sheepishly from where he sat on the floor, a tray lying on the floor a few steps away. A giggle burst out of Arya before she could stop it, and she helped him up before picking up the tray and setting it gently in the sink. 

“At least there weren’t rolls on it this time.” She grinned and patted his shoulder. 

Heading back outside, she decided to start putting some of the pastries away and cleaning up the coffee machine. Turning up the music, she hummed along as she pulled out the smaller trays from the display case. This was one of her favorite times of the evening, when people had stopped filtering in and she could turn up the radio and get lost in the music while closing up. 

Her back was to the door as she cleaned out the coffeemaker, unconsciously swaying to the music and singing along softly. Turning to get another rag, she nearly had a heart attack when she saw the tall stranger standing in the doorway. 

He had a faint smile on his face as he stood there, his blue eyes drinking her in. Arya’s cheeks burned when she realized he’d probably been standing there for quite some time, just watching her. Some small part of her mind registered that he was also quite handsome, which annoyed her even further.

“Can I help you?” She asked sharply.

His smile faded, and he moved forward to the counter. His hair was as black as the night sky. “I’m sorry,” he began, surprising her. His voice was a deep baritone. “The sign said you were open, so I came in, but you were… and the music…” He trailed off, embarrassed. “You seemed so preoccupied, I didn’t want to startle you. I guess that failed, huh?”

Arya stared back at him for a moment, not knowing what to say. He grew concerned, shifting from foot to foot, before she gathered her wits. 

“It’s alright,” she smiled tentatively. “You just surprised me, that’s all. I usually hear the door, but I guess the music was louder than I thought.”

He grinned back, clearly relieved. “It was a good song,” he said, and it made her like him a little more.

Then she became aware that she was standing there smiling like a fool. “Did you need something?” She moved to the display case, needing something to do. “Sorry there’s not a whole lot left.”

“That’s alright,” he replied easily. He hunched over to read the small signs, and Arya realized just how much his tall, broad form had suddenly made the bakery seem smaller than it was. She studied him out of the corner of her eye as she wiped down the already-clean counter, taking in the sweep of his shoulders, the car keys in his hands, and the grease stains on his jeans. 

Then he looked up, his gaze finding hers, and she reddened again. “I can’t decide. Any recommendations?” He asked.

“Um…,” Arya looked through the case, immediately finding the tray of white chip macadamia cookies. “Those are some of my favorites,” she pointed.

“Great. I’ll take them,” he smiled at her. 

“Really? All of them?” 

He chuckled, raising hand to scratch the back of neck. “Sure. If that’s alright?”

“Yeah, it’s fine!” She reassured him, pulling out a large box. “Most people only take a few.”

“I’m visiting my cousin tonight and I forgot to pick up dessert,” he explained as he took out his wallet. “So hopefully this will be enough for her.” 

“Tell her it came from Neverland Bakery and it will be,” Arya grinned, and he grinned back. She packed the cookies carefully and rang up the order. After giving him back the change, he lingered for a moment, and Arya’s heart did a strange flip.

Then he held out a hand. “I’m Gendry.”

She placed her hand in his. “Arya.” 

“Hi.” He smiled and held her hand a moment longer, then let go and picked up the box. “Thanks again for this.” 

“Sure.” She twisted her fingers together behind her back, suddenly nervous again. 

“See you around, Arya,” he smiled and pushed the door open, walking to a beat-up black car. He placed the box carefully on the passenger seat before rounding to the driver’s side and folding himself into the car.

“Was that Gendry?”

Arya turned to see Hot Pie standing a few feet away. “You know him?”

“Yeah, he’s my friend. Wonder why he didn’t come in the back?”

“He said he was going to see his cousin,” Arya offered. “He just bought some macadamia cookies and left.”

Hot Pie squinted. “Really? Macadamia?” A slow grin spread over his face.

“What?” Arya demanded.

“He must have really liked you,” was his reply.

A fierce blush spread across her cheeks for the third time that evening. “What are you talking about?”

Hot Pie looked at her as if she was slow to see the obvious. “Gendry hates macadamia cookies. So does his cousin Shireen.”

“Then why…” Arya trailed off, looking at the door.

“Like I said, he must like you.” Hot Pie snagged a leftover strawberry tart from the display and ambled back into the kitchen, leaving Arya to stare open-mouthed after him.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Continuing the fluffy adventure.

It was a full week before she saw Gendry again. 

He had been popping into her mind at the most inconvenient moments over the past few days. During fencing she’d ended up on her ass twice, staring up in surprise at Kel, who was similarly stunned. (Not because Kel wasn’t exceptional - moreso because Arya didn’t usually go down without a long, hard fight.) Then Mae had stepped in, eyebrows raised in that _Are you serious_ way, and it was all Arya could do to gather her wits and throw herself into the lesson. 

At work, she couldn’t stop her eyes from flitting to the door every now and then as she completed her tasks. Only when she was counting the register was she able to fully focus - and even then she had to count it out three times before she was certain.

Arya didn’t know what about him had gotten her so off balance. Sure, there was the disarming nature and the broad shoulders and those blue eyes that crinkled when he smiled and the dimple at the left corner of his mouth… 

“Arya?”

She nearly dropped the tray back in the sink, wincing at the loud clang as she scrambled to save it. Once she was sure it wouldn’t fall, she turned and glared at Hot Pie.

“What?”

“Are you okay?” 

She crossed her arms. “Why wouldn’t I be?”

Hot Pie shifted uncertainly. “You were standing there for a couple of minutes just holding the tray and towel. I didn’t know if…”

He trailed off, unsure, and Arya hoped he hadn’t noticed how red her face had become. “Sorry. I was just thinking. Lost track of time.” Wiping her hands on her jeans, she motioned to the tray. “Could you finish this up? I’m going to go clean up out front.” 

“Sure.” Thankfully, he made no other comment as he moved to the sink. Arya was grateful for his silence, feeling embarrassed enough as it was. She pushed through the swinging door with a sigh -

\- And stopped in her tracks.

Gendry was examining the orange and black decorations hanging on the window, the ones she and Eva had carefully put up just days back, taking turns teetering on the small white stepstool. At the sound of the swinging door, his gaze landed on her, just as warm and comforting as she’d remembered.

Arya swallowed, suddenly stupidly nervous. “Hello.”

“Hi.” He touched the paper black cat hanging on a string from the ceiling. “Did you make all of these?”

“Some of them.” She’d made most of them right at the counter on a quiet weekend night, sketching out the stencil and slowly cutting out the shapes and characters. It had been a request from Eva, who was too bogged down by financial reports but wanted desperately to decorate the shop. Arya found it was a quiet, calming task that she’d enjoyed more than expected. 

Realizing she’d barely answered Gendry, she added, “My manager asked me to help out. She usually decorates for every season but she just got really busy this year. We put them up a couple of days ago.” 

Gendry’s eyebrows lifted as he looked at her, then back at the ceiling. “That couldn’t have been easy.”

The tease brought a surprised smile to her face, and she relaxed, leaning a hip against the counter. “The stepstool took it harder than we did,” she replied.

He laughed, the sound reverberating through the small bakery and into her veins. Gendry came closer, pausing before the counter. His voice was quieter when he spoke.

“I was hoping you’d be working tonight.” 

Arya’s stomach did a flip. “You were?” She asked weakly.

He nodded, and she noticed, endearingly, that his ears were quite red. Twisting her fingers together, she held his gaze for a moment longer before looking away. A mischievous smile tugged at her mouth as she noticed the macadamia cookies still in the display.

“So,” she said casually, “did you like the macadamia cookies?”

She cocked an eyebrow, watching as he opened his mouth to agree and then closed it again. Then he chuckled, drawing a hand over his face. “Hot Pie told you, didn’t he?”

“He may have mentioned something.”

“They didn’t go to waste,” Gendry assured her hastily. “I left them out at work the next morning and they were gone by lunchtime.” 

A laugh bubbled out of her, and they both grinned sheepishly at each other for a few moments. 

Then Hot Pie came bustling through the swinging door, munching on a leftover sugar cookie. “Hey Gendry! I thought I heard your voice.”

Gendry shoved his hands in his pockets. “Hey, man. I was going to come say hi before I left.”

The younger boy waved a hand. “What’s up? How’s Shireen?”

“She’s good, really good.” He smiled. “Got everyone wrapped around her finger, as usual. Including me.” Arya heard the genuine affection in his voice and knew it was true. 

“So are we all ever going to go bowling again or what?” Hot Pie asked indignantly. 

“Of course. I just have to figure out when we’re all free.”

“You’ve been saying that for weeks. Come on, let’s just go this weekend.” Hot Pie turned to her. “Arya, you should come, too!”

She hesitated. “I don’t want to intrude-”

“Nonsense. It’s just me, Gendry and his cousin. Tell her, Gendry.”

Arya looked at him, chewing on her lip. She kind of wanted to go. A lot. 

“It’s true. Just us and Shireen. And it was a lot of fun, the last time we went.” Gendry smiled, and it warmed her to her toes. “You should come. I think Shireen would like you.” 

Arya tried not to beam, but she couldn’t help bouncing on her feet a little. “Okay.”

Hot Pie whooped. “It’s settled! See you then, Gendry!” He turned and disappeared into the kitchen, leaving them alone.

A faint smile lingered on Gendry’s face. “He’s a good friend,” he said quietly. “Always reminds me to have fun now and then.”

Arya smiled. “He is a good guy,” she agreed. Moving closer to the display, she propped her chin on her hand. “So, I know that you don’t like macadamia cookies. Which ones _do_ you like?”

He chuckled. “The shortbread cookies with the raspberry filling are my favorites. Although any jam filling will do, really. And I’m a sucker for cinnamon rolls.” 

Arya filed that away in her brain for later use. “Have you tried the lemon cakes?” 

“Should I?”

“I highly recommend it.”

“Well then I will take the last three,” he said graciously. “Or should I leave one for you?”

“No need. I already took my share earlier.” Arya grinned, pleased when he laughed again.

She packed the cakes up neatly. As he pulled out his wallet, she shook her head. “Nope, you don’t need that. They’re on the house.” 

When he opened his mouth to insist, she added, “I’ve already closed the register and counted everything. Now you’d just be creating more work for me if you insist on paying. So really, just do me a favor and take them.” 

The dimple in his cheek made a reappearance as he smiled, greatly amused. But he accepted the box without complaint. 

“I shall provide a detailed report of my opinion this weekend,” he promised.

“I can’t wait.” 

Gendry paused at the door, looking at her. “Me neither,” he said quietly. 

Arya flushed and smiled back. With a wave, he left the bakery. She watched as he curled himself into the driver’s seat and wondered yet again how he survived in a space that small. Only after he pulled out of the small parking lot did she release the breath she was holding, letting the smile stretch across her face until she was sure her jaw would ache the next morning.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bowling night :3

“It’s not a date.”

“Oh it is _so_ a date.”

Arya glared at Kel in the mirror. “His cousin is coming. And Hot Pie, too.”

“So?” Her friend glared right back. “The boy bought a ton of cookies from you because _you_ said you liked them, then he came back and said he was glad to see you. He was probably about to ask you out before Hot Pie got there first!”

Arya huffed and turned to face Kel. “That’s the point. Hot Pie got there first. So how do we know what Gendry was going to say?”

Kel rolled her eyes. “Because of everything I just said. I love you, but you can be quite clueless sometimes, you know.” 

Arya threw a pillow at her but smiled nonetheless. Her friend caught it easily and thew it right back. “Besides,” she said, “If it’s not a date, then why have you changed your shirt three times already?”

When she didn’t reply, Kel raised an eyebrow triumphantly. Arya groaned and flopped down on the floor. Kel laughed and unfolded herself from the chair she had been curled up in. Settling down next to Arya, she threw an arm around her shoulder.

“You really like him, huh?” 

“I guess so.” Arya fiddled with a thread on the carpet. “But how is that possible? I barely even know him.” 

“That’s what dates are for,” Kel said easily. “You like someone, you want to get to know them better, you go on a date. Or several. That’s the fun part.” 

Arya grinned and hugged her. “Thanks. Now please tell me I can just wear a sweatshirt and go.”

“Go get your favorite sweatshirt and go. I better not see you back here until at least midnight.” Kel wiggled her eyebrows. “Or morning.”

Arya pushed her to the floor, both of them laughing as she changed for the final time.

~~~~~~~~~~~~

There was only one bowling alley in the small town, and since the weather was nicer than it had been for the past week, she decided to give Jon’s faithful old Jeep a break. Putting in her earphones and patting the small box in her bag, she set out walking. 

Hot Pie had told her the night before about Shireen. A childhood illness had left her with a patchwork of scars prominently on her face and neck. She was a quiet girl, shy and intelligent, and looked up to Gendry almost as a big brother. He was fiercely protective, and had taken to the role of caretaker easily. Hot Pie hadn’t said much more than that, but he had been quite solemn about it, and Arya could tell that both Gendry and his cousin meant a lot to him.

She arrived at the bowling alley early and sat down on the sidewalk to wait. Her music shuffled to the next song, and she smiled to herself as the beginning chords sounded out. She’d spent countless hours in the car with Jon as he took her along on various errands, turning each trip into a new adventure for her. Music had been a vital part of every journey they took. 

She relaxed, her gaze drifting and finally landing on two figures approaching in the distance. The tall one was unmistakably Gendry. He was smiling at something his companion was saying. Even from here, Arya could see Shireen waving her arms animatedly as she spoke, clearly at ease. As they neared the bowling alley, though, the girl’s posture seemed to shrink, and her story ended quickly as she turned up the collar of her light jacket. Gendry had thrown an arm around her, hugging her close.

His eyes brightened when they landed on Arya. He waved, pointing her out to Shireen. Arya stood up, brushing herself off.

“Hey, Arya. I’d like you to meet my cousin, Shireen.”

Arya smiled at the younger girl. “Hello. It’s nice to meet you.” 

“You too,” Shireen replied shyly. With a quick glance at Gendry, she added, “I’ve heard a lot about you.” 

“Really?” Arya was delighted despite herself. Gendry’s ears were red again, and he gave her a sheepish grin. 

A car pulled up behind them, breaking the moment. Hot Pie got out, waving to his mom once and then ushering them all inside excitedly. His mood was contagious, and Arya found herself caught up in his enthusiasm. The place was dimly lit but already crowded, with people gathering over small tables and at the bowling lanes. Everybody was busy with their own game or conversation, paying no attention to them, and Arya saw Shireen visibly relax as they moved further into the building. 

She snuck a peek at Gendry, who had a hand rested reassuringly on his cousin’s shoulder. It was a familiar gesture, one that Jon had often done around her when she was younger. Sometimes, he still did. The thought made her smile again.

They reached the counter and rented their shoes, following Hot Pie to the other side of the alley, where there were some open lanes. As they got closer, Arya was struck by an idea.

Hot Pie went to enter their names on the screen, but she stopped him. “Why don’t we make this interesting?” She grinned.

Gendry looked at her curiously. “What’d you have in mind?”

“Girls versus boys,” she answered promptly. “Come on, Shireen, we can take them, don’t you think?”

Shireen was frozen with surprise for a second. Then she laughed, clapping her hands gleefully and skipping over to Arya. “Absolutely.”

“Oh, now it’s on!” Hot Pie declared, and they all set about getting ready. Gendry disappeared for a few moments before returning with a tray full of food and drinks. He set a soda and fries by Arya, mouthing “thank you” with a quick smile before returning to his lane.

Shireen started off, a bright green bowling ball in her hand. She still had her jacket on, Arya noticed. But she hopped to the line and took up a clearly practiced stance. She glanced over at Gendry for confirmation, and he gave her a thumbs-up. Satisfied, she turned and bowled, knocking down half the pins.

Arya cheered loudly, giving her a high-five before smirking at the boys. Hot Pie groaned as he got up to take his turn. Gendry was shaking his head but smiling anyways. Shireen looked positively ecstatic.

And so the evening progressed, with each of them taking their turns. In between, Arya coaxed Shireen out of her shell. She learned that Shireen and Gendry had known each other for many years now, and as she’d guessed, it was Gendry who taught her to bowl, among other things. Often, he was the one to pick her up from school in the afternoons, taking her for ice cream or to a movie or just for a drive before dropping her off at home. 

Arya did her best not to stare as Gendry took his turns or lounged in the small seat, chatting with Hot Pie. Every now and then he’d look over and catch her before she hurriedly glanced away. 

Shireen sent her final ball down the lane, knocking away most of the pins. She’d finally removed her jacket. Happily, she spun in a circle and cheered as the screens showed the girls’ victory. Arya laughed and got up to celebrate with her. 

“I need more food before we start the re-match,” Hot Pie declared.

Shireen giggled. “Good idea. I’ll come, too.”

They wandered over to the counter to look at the menu. Arya flopped back down in her seat, still smiling. Gendry settled into the seat next to her, stretching out his long legs.

“That was impressive,” he said.

“That was fun,” Arya replied. “Shireen’s quite good. She says you taught her?”

He nodded. “I try to make sure she can have fun once in a while. Her parents can be a bit overbearing at times.” 

“My brother Jon used to do the same thing for me, before he went off to college. He was always taking me places or helping convince my parents to let me go to this or that.”

“Where’d he go off to school?”

“Further north, near White Harbor.” Arya pushed the large sleeves of the sweatshirt up to her elbows again.

Gendry studied her. “That’s quite far from here. You must miss him.” 

“I do.” She was quiet for a moment, and he let her be.

Then he reached over and tugged at her sweater. “This has to be his, then?”

She grinned. “Yeah. I took a bunch of his old shirts that he left behind. He even let me take his car. Said I could find more use for it here than he could in the city.”

“Really? What kind of car?”

“It’s this old beat up Jeep he got while he was in high school. He worked so many jobs just to save up money for it. We went everywhere in that thing.” Arya laughed and shook her head. “Sometimes it sounds like it’s going to die, but it’s not so bad.” She smiled at Gendry. “I told him I’d take care of it until he gets back.” 

He grinned back. “He’s a lucky guy to have you as a sister.” 

“Nah, it’s me who’s lucky. Jon’s the best.” 

Arya swallowed. “So what about you? How’d you meet Hot Pie?”

Gendry chuckled. “Kind of by accident, really. I was in a rush and had to get to this fancy Thanksgiving dinner at Shireen’s house. Her parents only invited me because she fairly begged them to. And I’d completely forgotten to bring anything.” He linked his fingers behind his head, his T-shirt sleeve riding up to reveal the edges of black ink on his bicep. “So I stopped at the bakery as a last resort, and only Hot Pie was there. Even though the display was empty and the register was closed, he told me to wait. A minute later he comes back out with a box of assorted bread and cakes. He’d even thrown a few spare slices of pie in there.” 

Gendry shook his head as he looked at her. “He told me to just pay him back the next time I came in.”

“How did he even know you would come back?” Arya asked.

He grinned. “I asked him the same thing. He only shrugged and said he liked to have faith in people.” 

Arya looked over to where Hot Pie was ordering their meal with Shireen. “Wow. Though now that I know him, I guess it’s not that surprising.” 

“Yeah. He wasn’t there when I came back the next morning, and I didn’t want to get him in trouble, so I kept coming back and buying stuff until I finally ran into him a couple days later. I paid him in full and asked his manager if she’d let me give him a tip.”

“Did she?”

“She said she’d make an exception, since he worked so hard. I asked her to keep it anonymous, but I’m sure he figured it out.” He stretched and sat up. “After that I visited just to say hello, and eventually I introduced him to Shireen as well. They get on great. That’s really all I could ask for.”

The two of them returned at that moment, each bearing a tray full of assorted snacks. Seeing all the food, Arya suddenly remembered the box she had in her bag.

“I nearly forgot!” She grabbed her bag from under the seat, pulling out the small package. “I took a hunch and swiped some leftovers for you guys.” 

She handed the box to Shireen. Her face brightened as soon as she opened it and saw its contents. “These look delicious! Thank you!”

“You’re welcome,” Arya smiled and focused on snagging a hot dog and drink from Hot Pie’s tray. Out of the corner of her eye she watched as Gendry peeked over his cousin’s shoulder, his mouth curling up as he saw the fruit-filled shortbread cookies stacked in the corner of the box.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Don't worry, I didn't end their night here ;) part 2 coming soon!


	4. Chapter 4

They got through two more games that evening. Gendry and Hot Pie won the second, breaking into a victory dance full of flailing limbs and shaking hips that had Arya doubled over in laughter the rest of the night. Even the thought of it sent her into giggles as she prepared to bowl.

Throwing her first gutter ball of the night, she shook a finger at the boys on her way back to her seat. “Now I see. That was all some clever strategy, wasn’t it?”

“That’s for us to know and you to never find out,” Gendry replied smugly.

Arya stuck her tongue out, booing Hot Pie loudly as he took his turn. Thankfully, Shireen still had her wits and kept them within reach of the boys’ score. Arya resolved not to think about the dance any time she picked up a bowling ball, though it was difficult. But the girls still won the third game. As they crowed about their victory over dessert, Hot Pie’s phone beeped shrilly. 

He made a face as he checked it. “As usual, mum’s right on time. I gotta go,” he sighed. 

Arya grinned. “See you Tuesday night. Thanks again for having me along.”

“Of course.” He lingered a moment, then turned to Shireen. “Did you want a ride back? I’m sure mum wouldn’t mind.”

Gendry sat up. “You don’t have to-” 

“Thanks, Hot Pie!” Shireen cut in a smidge too gleefully. “That would be great!” She looked at Gendry. “Pleeeeease,” she pleaded.

Arya looked down at her shoes, letting her hair form a temporary curtain around her red face. It was sweet, what they were trying to do, but also blatantly obvious. Gendry paused, eyeing them both suspiciously. Then he chuckled in resignation.

“Go on. But you text me when you’re home, alright?”

Shireen gave him a big hug, whispering something in his ear that Arya didn’t catch. To her surprise, Shireen grabbed her in a quick hug as well. “It was great to meet you. I hope I’ll see you again soon!”

Arya hugged her back. “Me too.”

She watched Shireen leave with Hot Pie, then turned back to Gendry, who looked quite embarrassed. He cleared his throat nervously.

“Sorry about that. They mean well.”

Arya smiled. “I know. It’s alright.” She picked at a thread on her sweater. “My friends would probably have done the same, and not quite so gracefully.” 

He grinned at that, then stood up and stretched. “I’m stuffed. I could use a walk.”

“Same. I’m glad I didn’t bring my car today.” Arya stood and pulled her bag over her shoulder.

Hesitantly, Gendry held out a hand to her. She took it, feeling his warm fingers wrap firmly around hers. In his other hand he carried both their pairs of rented shoes. They weaved through the crowded alley, returning the shoes and exiting into the crisp fall air.

Their shoulders bumped occasionally as they walked, neither of them in much of a rush. 

“I’m glad you came tonight.”

Arya looked up to see Gendry smiling at her. 

“Me too,” she replied. Chewing on her lip, she debated whether or not to ask him what she’d been wondering for days.

He easily read the indecision on her face. “What is it?” 

“If Hot Pie hadn’t invited me, would you have asked?” 

She held her breath as he formed his answer.

“You know,” he said finally, “I’m not sure. I mean I definitely wanted to ask you out,” he added hurriedly, to her immense delight. “But I can’t say whether I would have chosing bowling with Hot Pie and my cousin as an option.” She chuckled at that, and he continued sheepishly, “I guess all I could think of was taking you somewhere, just the two of us.”

In Arya’s head, she and Kel had broken out into a full song and dance. But she settled for moving closer to him, so that now their arms brushed together with every step. 

“Thanks for being honest,” she told him.

“Of course. I wouldn’t lie to you about something like that,” he said.

She smiled to herself.

“So,” she raised an eyebrow. “In the name of honesty, what did you think of the lemon cakes?”

His face lit up. “They were really good! I was pleasantly surprised. Needless to say they were gone by morning.” He grinned. 

“My sister and I used to fight over them constantly. We still do, when we get the chance.”

“Just how big is your family?” He asked curiously, and she laughed.

“Huge. I have two older brothers, Jon and Robb. Robb works for my dad and travels a lot. He’s getting married soon, too. Sansa’s studying abroad this semester. She goes to school near Highgarden, so I see her more than Jon nowadays.” She paused for breath. “I also have two younger brothers, Bran and Rickon. Bran’s been paralyzed since he was younger. Car accident. But he’s a tough kid, and he and Rickon look out for each other.” 

“Wow,” Gendry breathed. “I can’t imagine having that many people in one house.” 

“You had a small family?” Arya asked.

He nodded. “Just me and my mum at first. She died when I was little, but her best friend’s family legally adopted me afterwards so I wouldn’t get sent to an orphanage. She and her husband couldn’t have kids, so it was just the three of us.”

Arya was quiet. Somehow she didn’t think “I’m sorry” would cut it - nor did he seem to need it.

He continued easily. “I didn’t know my father, but Shireen’s dad - my uncle - eventually found me. He’s not the easiest guy to get along with, but Shireen and I hit it off right away. It was kind of like having a little sister. I think he puts up with me mainly for her sake.”

“She adores you,” Arya said honestly.

Gendry smiled. “It’s mutual. She’s a sweetheart.”

“Hot Pie seems to think so, too,” Arya added slyly. He laughed.

“Don’t I know it. He’s been sweet on her since they met. But he’s so shy, I think he’s just happy to be her friend at the moment. And the same goes for her. Shireen doesn’t have a ton of friends, so…” he paused. “She really values those she does have.” 

He studied her. “What about you? You don’t strike me as someone to put a label on herself. I bet you know a lot of people.”

Arya shrugged. “That's true enough. I like to be involved in activities and stuff - I don’t really care who else is there. I don’t think people should be restricted by social groups or categories. It’s dumb.”

“What sorts of activities?”

“I’m on the fencing team. So we have practices every week and we travel at least once a month for matches. We also try to fundraise a lot for the trips, so we make it a point to poke our nose into everything else.”

“That’s awesome, Arya. I’d love to see you in a match.” 

She beamed. Fallen leaves crunched under their shoes as they crossed the street.

“So why have I not seen you around campus before?” She asked finally.

“Are you sure you haven’t?” He nudged her. “Maybe you did and just forgot.”

“I’d remember you,” Arya insisted solemnly. Then she realized he was teasing and blushed. But he seemed pleased nonetheless.

“I actually transferred here at the start of the term. Last year I was at uni a bit further north, but it was pretty far away, and I was quite unhappy most of the time. So I decided to come back.” He made a face. “There was a backlog of paperwork somehow, so my papers only just got processed. I’ve been to most of my larger lectures, but I only got officially put on the class lists about two weeks ago.”

“So everything’s settled now?”

“Yup. I’m all official.”

His pace slowed, and Arya realized they were nearing the dorms. “I’m right down there,” she pointed to the old brick building at the end of the row.

“Alright.” He didn’t let go of her hand. “So maybe next time we’ll go somewhere, just you and me?” He smiled.

Arya nodded shyly. “That would be nice.” 

“Okay then. So… I’ll see you later.” He squeezed her hand once before letting go.

She gave him a small wave before heading down the path to her dorm. She was still smiling to herself a minute later when she heard her name being called. Turning, she saw Gendry jogging towards her.

Uncertain, she stood rooted to the spot. 

“I completely forgot,” he said as soon as he was near. “Can I have your phone number?” He grinned sheepishly, and Arya burst into laughter.

“That would be helpful, wouldn’t it?” She was still chuckling as she took his phone, entering her number.

“Figured it was better than stalking you at the bakery.”

“I didn’t mind that so much.” Arya held the phone back out to him. Gendry cupped his hand under hers and tugged her closer suddenly, leaning down to press a swift kiss to her cheek.

Arya was sure her face was aflame, but as he pulled back she saw that even his cheeks were noticeably red. He took the phone from her hand and began walking backwards. “I’ll call you,” he grinned, waving the phone.

She laughed again and finally turned back, taking her time. A moment later, her phone buzzed with a message.

_That was totally a date._

Arya giggled and texted Kel back. _Creeper!_

_Pssh. You’d do the same for me._

Arya shook her head, holding a middle finger up to the window where she knew Kel was peeking out. Still, it was a battle to not to skip the entire way back to her room.


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay I was super excited about this chapter haha. Hope you enjoy!

Arya cursed for the thousandth time as she pulled out the second tray of burned cookies. “How the hell does he get these so perfect every time?!”

She groaned and tried to pick out as many ones as she thought could pass. It ended up being fewer than she had hoped. Frustrated, she began washing the tray in preparation for the next attempt. 

It was Thursday evening and she was alone at the bakery, covering for Hot Pie and Eva. Hot Pie was running late because his mum was stuck at work and he had no other mode of transportation. Eva had come down with something a few days back, and when she nearly sneezed on half the display, Arya had ordered her to go home and stay there until she recovered. 

She was seriously regretting that decision now, as she scraped burnt dough from the pan. There had been a large order the day before, requesting enough food for a party. Because they’d run low on some of the pastries, Arya was force to play cook as well, until Hot Pie could arrive and take over. _If_ he made it at all. It didn’t help that tonight was supposed to be her date with Gendry, and she’d had to cancel on him after Hot Pie called in a tizzy. Arya scrubbed harder, taking out her frustration on the pan. 

When it was clean again, she rested it gingerly on the edge of the counter. The sound of the front door opening nearly made her knock her forehead against the wall.

“Hello?” A deep familiar voice rang out.

Arya straightened in surprise. “Gendry?”

“Arya? Where are you?”

“In the back,” she called out.

There was the sound of quick, heavy footsteps, and then he was pushing through the swinging door. He stopped abruptly at the sight of her surrounded by the kitchen mess. 

“Jesus. What happened here?” 

She huffed, crossing her arms. “Hot Pie’s late and Eva’s sick. And I’m apparently useless.” Brushing at her apron, she added quietly, “I’m sorry I had to cancel. It wasn’t because-”

“I know.” Gendry interrupted, smiling. “It’s alright.” 

Looking around, he said, “You should have called me. I can help.”

Arya blinked. “It honestly never occurred to me, or I would have.” She smiled. “But now I know.” Then her brow furrowed as a thought crossed her mind. “Wait, why _are_ you here? I mean, seeing as I didn’t call.”

“Oh.” Gendry rubbed his neck sheepishly. “Well, I wanted to see you, and you mentioned you were stuck at the bakery, so… here I am.”

She stared at him, speechless. 

Voices sounded from out front, making them both jump in surprise. Arya sighed, brought back to reality as the customers looked around the shop. Gendry motioned for her to stay put, winking before he eased through the door. When she heard his voice outside greeting the newcomers, she grinned. 

Turning around, she began to gather the ingredients for the next round of baking. As she pulled the bag of sugar off a higher shelf, she lost her balance and stumbled back. Arya cursed, bracing herself against the counter. The bag of sugar landed on the floor, but miraculously it hadn’t split open. Yet. 

She wiped an arm across her forehead, slowly straightening. The bag of flour was nearly empty. Knowing she’d need more, she crouched down to open the lower cupboard. The full bag was heavier than she’d anticipated. Planting her feet, she tried to heave the bag off the shelf. Instead, part of the paper bag tore, sending her lurching backwards again. Her hand reached out to grab the counter and instead landed on the tray, which toppled over with a sound loud enough to wake the North. 

Arya winced and sat down hard on the cold floor, the scrap of bag still in her hand. The flour now covered most of the small kitchen. Moments later, Gendry rushed in to see what had happened. At the sight of her on the floor, a grin threatened to form on his face.

Arya glared up at him but it was without much force. She was close to laughing herself, albeit maniacally. Gendry took a few careful steps forward before settling on his knees directly in front of her, uncaring of the spilled flour. He reached out and tweaked her nose with a soft chuckle.

“Don’t laugh!” Arya pushed him half-heartedly, though she was smiling despite her best efforts.

Gendry did laugh, tucking a stray hair behind her ear. “You’re so cute when you’re mad.”

“Shut up.” She dropped her face into her hands. “I’m a mess.”

“Hey, come on.” Gendry’s voice was tender, his hands gentle as they tugged her own away from her face. She opened her eyes to meet his soft gaze just inches away. “I can help,” he murmured.

But Arya didn’t care about the overturned tray or spilled flour anymore. He was so close that she could see the small white scar by his left eye, the light stubble on his chin, and that familiar dimple in his cheek. Her blood hummed through her veins. 

She wasn’t sure which of them had closed the gap between them, only that they had and now their lips were eager to learn one another. Carefully, quickly, they touched and retreated, each meeting becoming longer until Arya wrapped her arms around his neck and refused to let him pull back. His hands rested on her waist, leaving imprints in the flour on her clothing.

Eventually her ears registered a ringing sound that sounded very familiar. Drawing back, she tilted her head, listening. Gendry didn’t seem to mind, simply moving his lips along her jaw. She closed her eyes momentarily, but they flew open when the bell sounded again. 

“Gendry,” she pushed at his shoulders until he looked up. “Someone’s at the counter.” Arya pointed to the front, watching as her words finally registered. His eyes widened and he stood, pulling her up with him. 

“I’ll take care of it.” 

Before she could protest, he pushed through the swinging door, already apologizing for keeping the customer waiting. Arya raised a hand to her lips, which were tingling madly. She was still standing there when Gendry reappeared in the doorway. She took one look at him and began to laugh.

“You- you’re covered in flour!” 

He looked down at himself, only just noticing the powdery stains all over his dark shirt and jeans. There was plenty more on his neck where her hands had been just minutes before.

He laughed with her, moving closer and backing her up against the counter. “And whose fault is that?” 

His lips covered hers again before she could tell him that for once, she’d happily take the blame.


End file.
